Vernon played for 14 full major league seasons (400 at bats or more) in his 20-year career. He wound up batting over .335 twice, over .300 five times, and over .290 nine times. In 1954, he had a career high 20 home runs, 97 RBIs, and a career high 14 triples. He led the AL in doubles with a total of 33. He also had 294 total bases, which was 2nd in the AL, behind Minnie Miñoso.

Over time, Vernon became one of the best-liked ballplayers, mainly through his unique personality and charismatic, but quiet, style. By his last game on September 27, 1960, before being released by the Pirates he was, at 42, the oldest player by almost a year, and one of the most popular players in the game. However, he played in 2,409 games without making a postseason appearance (third most in history behind Ernie Banks and Luke Appling). [1] However, Vernon, who had served the 1960 season as the Bucs' first-base coach, earned a World Series ring as a member of the 1960 team. Vernon is one of only 29 players in baseball history to have appeared in a major league game in four decades.

Vernon posted a career .286 batting average with 172 home runs and 1,311 RBIs in 2,409 games. The left-hander averaged 88 RBIs a year, and had 11 seasons with 80 or more, 3 with 90 or more. He accumulated 1196 runs with 137 stolen bases and a .359 on-base percentage. His career slugging percentage was .428, with a career high of .518 in 1953. He compiled 2,495 hits, with 490 doubles and 120 triples, in 8,731 at bats. He had 3,741 career total bases, with his career high coming in 1953 (315).

Vernon coached for the Pirates in 1960 under his longtime friend, manager Danny Murtaugh. During that world championship season, Vernon made his final appearance as a player, when he was activated on September 1 when the rosters expanded to 40 men. He appeared in nine games as a pinch hitter, with one hit in eight at-bats, while also serving as the Bucs' first-base coach. The following year, in 1961, he was given the job of managing the expansion Senators in their first year of existence. He did so from 1961 until the beginning of 1963. He had a career record of 135–227, a .373 winning percentage. He was a major league coach for the Pirates (returning there for a second term in 1964), St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, and New York Yankees. He managed at the AAA and AA levels of the minor leagues, and served as a batting instructor in the Kansas City Royals and Yankees' farm system before retiring from baseball.

Playing in four different decades (1939–60), Vernon ended his career with 2,237 games at first base, second to only Jake Beckley (2,377) in major league history. He led the American League in fielding percentage four times, and the majors twice.

He became one of the few first basemen to finish his career with a .990 fielding percentage, and participated in more double plays than any other.

The Mickey Vernon Museum Collection in Radnor, Pennsylvania, honors Vernon's career, military service, and friendship with Murtaugh, among other artifacts.[2]